To sit down with a Max Lucado book is to sit down with a friend. You can almost imagine sitting next to him by a crackling hearth with him telling you stories about life in a warm and gentle way. I still remember reading In The Grip of Grace and being hooked. Max has a way with words that invites you to partake of the book, and his most recent release Fearless is no different.

Most authors would be hard pressed to write a book about the absence of fear, yet Lucado is not most authors. Fearless starts by setting the scene of what fear is, and giving the reader a clear picture of how Jesus sees fear. The story of the storm on Galilee is examined showing that Jesus takes our fears seriously, yet He wants to be the one that helps walk us through them.

Lucado doesn’t write off fears as something ‘all in the head’. Instead he lists 13 fears common to all, whether they take the form of lingering doubts or months of sleepless nights. Through it all though, he points us back to Jesus.

The book is an easy read, set out in short, succinct chapters and ends with a study guide. Lucado gives us the confidence that through Christ we can overcome our fears. In Fearless he doesn’t give a simple formula for success, but does instead give us hope to trust more.

www.TheFearlesBook.com

www.MaxLucado.com/TownHall

www.ThomasNelson.com/Fearless

www.twitter.com/maxlucado

In the meantime there’s a few places that you can visit to help you out;

• Lifehacker.com have posted a lot – including how to prep your machine for the install.
• Apple’s own website
• Australian CNet already have a video review of the system

Being a dad of three and with all of my children under the age of six I was pleased to review The Read and Share Toddler Bible published by Tommy Nelson. The book presented well with engaging illustrations and short stories. Each story is about 4-5 pages, written in simple and clear language.

The Read and Share Toddler Bible is illustrated with bright, clear and engaging drawings. These will capture the attention of any toddler and provide some good points for discussion aside from the text. Another unique feature about this book are the ‘parent tips’ at the end of each story. These provide the adult with additional information or an activity for follow up; something that is missing from many other young Bibles.

The book covers 40 stories but also comes with an hour long DVD. The animated feature is a beautiful addition to the book. Divided into 14 mini-stories they cover some highlights of the stories in the book. Each episode is about 3 minutes long and is able to be accessed with ease through the DVD menu or by simply fast forwarding.

While aimed obviously at a toddler age group, my daughter (who is six) has been able to sit down, and even with her beginning reading skills, decipher the stories and read it on her own. The Read and Share Toddler Bible is a highly recommended book for parents and their young children and is available at Amazon  and local Christian bookstores.

Here’s an introduction to Sungha Jung, an up and coming 11 year old guitar prodigy. His Youtube channel is worth subscribing to. He’s been featured in Guitar Today and considering he’s only 11 years old and so talented it will be interesting to watch where he takes this gift. Here he is playing one of my favourite artists Tommy Emmanuel’s “Beatles Medley”.

Sungha plays ‘Beatles Medley’ arranged by Tommy Emmanuel.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that the photo here is somehow enhanced with Photoshop, but apparently it was all ‘as it happened’.  According to reports the couple were posing with the automatic timer function set.  As they were counting down, the squirrel appeared and, being fascinated with the sounds of the camera focusing came in for a closer look.  As is apparent he timed his look very well and…..right on cue.

Here’s the original story.

Here’s a humorous follow up from the Daily Telegraph.

The project Maria’s Big House of Hope, inspired and overseen by Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman was recently featured in a story on the 700 Club, part of the CBN ministry.

Ok, ok. One final word on Michael Jackson and then that will be all.

We all know that this past week saw a memorial service held for Michael Jackson. A way in which to honour his life and to remember the music and the difference he made in people’s lives. When Michael died so did a great musician, and a humanitarian who gave millions to different charities around the world. Though God was mentioned, and though there were speeches by different people including Rev Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King Jr III and Lionel Richie sang ‘Jesus is Love’ it was by no means a Christian service. Indeed, his brother Jermaine is a practising Muslim, although claims are that the family was raised as Christians. It was, perhaps, spiritual if anything, and my hope is that the brief glimpses of Christ that were mentioned stirred hearts.

I didn’t watch the service live. It was broadcast at some unearthly hour here in Australia, but replayed again later that night. On and off I saw the final 30 minutes or so, starting with Brooke Shields and finishing with Paris’ emotional cry. As a finale for the service, the artists and contributors to the event sang “We are the World” and on the screen behind them, every known religious symbol was displayed uniting the performers and the people of the world. I agree, we are a mixed bag of races, creeds and religions; and we should love and accept each other regardless. But to me, what become apparent was that people are finding their spirituality in other things beside Christ. We still have a long way to go both in loving people and sharing the Gospel of Christ.

We can pretend that singing the praises of a dead person and his hopeful song will unite us. But it will fail miserably until we understand that the Christ of the Cross is the only person that will fulfill the depraved spiritual condition of each and every human heart.   

Today I received the latest catalogue from Koorong, a Christian bookstore here in Australia. As I looked through it, I started to become increasingly frustrated and, to be honest, it’s a frustration that has been growing for quite some time.

I wonder as you peruse the following titles you can see where my frustration was springing from. It started to grow when I saw “Becoming A Leader” by Myles Munroe. Next I found the latest from the Osteen’s. Joel’s books “Your Best Life Now” and “Become a Better You” and Victoria’s offering of “Love Your Life” seemed eerily similar in their content. Joseph Prince has written “Destined to Reign” with the by-line ‘The secret to effortless success, wholeness and victorious living’. Of course, what’s a catalogue without Rick Warren’s “Purpose Driven Life”? I also remember seeing in past publications Joyce Myer’s “How To Succeed at Being Yourself” and Brian Houston’s “You Need More Money”. I wasn’t sure whether I was looking at a Christian bookstore catalogue or Dr Phil’s upcoming writing projects. I could go on, listing book after book and title after title that sought to entice my dollars and my low self-esteem.

Apparently if you’re not triumphing over finances and debt, walking in divine health or being promoted you’re a failure. Oops. I mean…you’re not living the victorious way God intended you to and therefore aren’t a partaker in the here and now glory of God’s plan.

These books and these authors have repackaged the gospel (and relined their pockets in the process) to such a point that it’s hardly identifiable. For many of them, today’s ‘successful’ modern pastor isn’t a pastor, but instead a skilled Life Coach, bringing people a message of optimism and that God is a source of personal well being; much like a cash cow or magic genie. The emerging mainstream gospel is about making people comfortable, bolstering a hope and expectancy of promotion, increase and blessing, rarely is it about the Christ and His Cross.

What’s so dangerous about a gospel of comfort? If we really are sincere about the Christian faith, why should we be wary of such things? Because living a cushy comfortable life in the suburbs, with our heads in the garden, our bodies in the pews on Sunday and working hard for that promotion during the week is not the gospel. Quite simply, the gospel of Jesus Christ is a rock of offense.

The gospel of life principles that Myer, Osteen and others promote is not the be all and end all of the Cross. If we were to seriously understand the implications of the Cross we would start to realise that our rewards and glory are not about us in this life, but are instead reflected through our salvation in the atoning work of Jesus Christ for all eternity. By willing ourselves a positive attitude and success mentality in this life where we are on top of everything and blinded to the reality of hardships we preach our resurrection, not Christ’s. We become the revived life, where our dreams and desires are primary, when they should be secondary.

If we experience any hardships then it is immediately supposed that there is sin, or lack of faith or…. the list continues on. I can’t understand how that mentality of the gospel is reconciled with the poor or the orphaned or those in third world countries that are forced into their squalid conditions due to the greed and mismanagement of richer countries. It’s a gospel that is well suited to the middle working class, but outside of that demographic it starts to become a house of straw.

For Christians our primary desire in this life should be that of God’s; to go and plant the flag of the gospel from where they sit to the furthest most parts of the earth. Having a comfortable house, working towards the top spot of the corporation and having the victory over finances isn’t the primary gospel commission. If it is, then Christianity becomes about us and not about Jesus.

Instead of some positive pop psychology we should perhaps pick up some other books that focus on Christ and not ourselves. Titles like “It’s a Wonderful (Imperfect) Life by Joan C Webb, “The Hole in the Gospel” by Richard Stearns, “A Simple Christianity” by John MacArthur or even “The Heavenly Man” by Brother Yun (someone should really tell him about these life principles of prosperity).

Or, if it all gets too much perhaps “Lord, Save Us From Your Followers” might be the best book of all.

Just had to share this picture from my stats chart here in WordPress.  The days following Michael Jackson’s death my blog was overwhelmed with more than the usual traffic thanks to a post on Michael I did back in April about him selling of his items in Neverland – nothing about his death at all.

I usually average just over 110 hits a day (not huge I know) but I did get a little excited when I started watching the stats literally go off the chart.  My best day was 61, 719 hits.  Here’s the proof;

The lesson here: Posting on celebrities while they are alive pays off when they die.  Morbid, but true.

Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife Mary Beth have spearheaded another project for orphans in China.  Named Maria’s Big House of Hope the facility exists to provide medical attention, including surgeries.  It is hoped that this medical attention will facilitate a greater chance of the child being adopted into loving and waiting families.  The House is named after the Chapman’s daughter Maria who passed away last year. 

For the Chapman’s this has been an incredible journey, and following them as they rebuild their lives, I am amazed to see their strength grow as they choose to continue living each day through His strength.  For more information you can see the official press release at Vining Media Relations and a story on the project published by Christianity Today.

Information on the Chapman’s adoption ministry can be found at ShowHope

Tags: Steven Curtis Chapman, Mary Beth Chapman, Maria, Maria’s Big House of Hope, Adoption, China, Orphan

Michael Jackson has died. He was reportedly afraid of death. My quick and humble thoughts? He was a gifted and talent human being, created in the image of God, yet one who tried to alter that image by running away from his race and age through the pursuit of wanting to be ‘Peter Pan’; living in a fantasy world. A fantasy world that he created. He was a gifted musician, an incredible entertainer and the world will be a better and place because of his musical legacy. As to his eternal state? May God have mercy on his soul.

May we be ready for the place of eternity’s doorstep when we find ourselves in the same stage of life as Michael.

With so much being said about Michael Jackson and his legacy in this life I thought I’d take the opportunity to compile some of the stories and blogs that other people have written. Most of these stories have links that have links that have….oh, never mind.

Justin Taylor – Michael Jackson (1958 – 2009)

The Daily Telegraph – Jacko Dead at 50

Stuff (New Zealand) – Michael Jackson Dead

StyleList – The Loss of A Legend

To all the mothers out there. I hope you enjoy this little andetote to mark Mother’s Day.

Three ladies were bragging about their grown sons.

The first said, “You should have seen what my boy did for me on my birthday! He threw a big party at a fancy restaurant-he even hired a big band to come and play.”

The second lady said, “That’s nice, but listen to what my son did. Last winter he gave me an all-expense-paid cruise to the Greek islands-all first class.”

The third lady said, “That’s nothing! For the last three years my son has been paying a psychiatrist $150 an hour two times a week-and the whole time he talks about nothing but me!”

Originally posted May 10, 2007

Here’s a very good reason why you should always do your research before you write something for public viewing – even it it is a really hard topic….

Original here

3484816249_f5f4436589_o.png (PNG Image, 430×616 pixels)

Tags: overfeedcat, beer cat belly

The beauty contestant, who became the lightning rod of the Miss USA pageant when she told a judge gay people shouldn’t marry, is addressing the subject back in San Diego.

Carrie Prejean appeared at the Rock Church during Sunday services to “share the story behind the controversy that we haven’t heard,” Senior Pastor Miles McPherson said. “Prejean is a member of the Rock family and actively serves in church outreach ministries.”

The San Diego Christian College student has drawn a lot of attention for her comments against gay marriage at the Miss USA pageant, where she was first runner-up last weekend.

Miss Calif. Shares Story “We Haven’t Heard” | NBC San Diego

Tags: CarriePrejan, church, Miss USA, gay marriage